VOTE YES ON HEALTH CARE REFORM THIS WEEKEND!

First the bottom line: If Baron Hill does not vote YES on this legislation we will never contribute to him again; we will never make phone calls soliciting votes; we will NEVER vote for him again, we will simply abstain and withhold our votes.

I read with horror in the past 24 hours that Baron Hill, IN-09, would not state unequivocally that he would be voting yes for the health care bill being sent back to the Senate under rules of reconciliation this weekend.

I say with horror, because I had not until then heard any inkling that Hill was among those who had said they would vote no, or among the wafflers in the Democratic Party who had no courage and would not commit to support their President and the will of the vast majority of the American people.

There is no reason not to support this bill, and every reason to support it.

The final revised Congressional Budget Office estimate of its impact came out this week, according to Congressional Quarterly, here are the findings.

1. CUTS THE DEFICIT. Cuts the deficit by $130 billion in the first ten years (2010 – 2019). Cuts deficit by $1.2 trillion in the second ten years.

4. IS FULLY PAID FOR Is fully paid for – costs $940 billion over a decade. (Americans spend nearly $2.5 trillion each year on health care now and nearly two-thirds of the bill’s cost is paid for by reducing health care costs).

That’s more deficit reduction than either the House or Senate bill, and more coverage than the Senate bill. The reconciliation bill will have more deficit reduction than either of the previous two bills.

It will save American lives. It will lower the cost of health care and insurance for the vast majority.

It will bring absolutely necessary regulation and controls to a for profit health care industry that has become a ‘murder by spreadsheet’ industry, putting the profits of shareholders ahead of the sick and needy of America.

I had hoped that Baron Hill had more intelligence and sense than to for a moment be swayed by the unending lies and hysterical propaganda of the Republicans.

Just today, in a final desperate act, they were caught passing around a FRAUDULENT memo, IN THE HOUSE, ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, “that claims to be sent to “Democratic health and communications staff” and which suggests the majority party leadership wants to make big changes to Medicare next year after health care passes.”

The Republican Party has acted in bad faith again, and again, and again. They have no intention of voting for any form of Health Care Reform, no matter that this bill represents MANY ideas that their party has floated for years, and in fact, which Romney enacted in Massachusetts. It was hilarious this week watching him try to deny the truth of his own legacy as governor there.

Yes, Baron Hill may be inundated with calls from tea bagging tea partiers, but surely he has the wisdom and insight to realize these people are in a tiny minority of the American people, they are just being supported financially by the far right wing, and the propaganda arm of the Republican Party, the Faux Noise Nutwork. Surely Baron Hill does not base his votes on the frothing of a deranged, deluded, and misinformed minority. For that is what they are. No more. No less.

This bill is not perfect. We would prefer, and still intend in the future to fight for, a national single payer or Medicare for all option. Such a bill to allow anyone to voluntarily buy in to the Medicare system has been signed by over 80 members of the House. Baron Hill should sign it. As soon as possible.

But this week end, Baron Hill better vote with the Democratic Party and the principles it represents.

If this bill fails, it will be taken as a sign of the inability of the Democratic Party and President Obama to govern.

And I can guarantee you, neither Baron Hill, nor any other Democrat, will be receiving our money, or our efforts on their behalf to be elected or reelected. Nor will we bother to go to the polls next time. Just do without our votes, if you think you can afford it.

We don’t think the total disillusion the failure of the legislation will engender among the base of the party will allow the party to survive massive losses.

And frankly, those who do not do the right thing and vote yes on this legislation deserve to lose, for they have marked themselves down in the history of this nation as failing in courage and wisdom at one of the most critical junctures in our history.